North Korea exports missile components, U.N. report says

NEW YORK, March 15 (UPI) -- The United Nations Security Council has issued a report that documents how North Korea maintains a vast logistics network across the Middle East, Asia and Africa.

The network involves key North Korean companies currently under U.N. sanctions that have been operating globally for years, Kyodo News reported Tuesday.

The U.N. document includes a record of the activities of Pyongyang's Korea Mining Development Trading Corp. and its leading officials.

The company, also known as KOMID, has been tied to exporting equipment related to ballistic missiles and conventional weapons.

According to the U.N. report, several North Korean diplomats have been able to circumvent embargoes through the use of two or more passports.

KOMID has been on the U.N. sanctions list since 2009, because of its connection to nuclear and missile tests.

Of the seven North Koreans mentioned in the report, four have been blacklisted in the most recently adopted U.N. sanctions resolution against North Korea.

North Korea's Jang Son Yong and Kim Yong Chol have taken dozens of trips to Iran, the United Arab Emirates, Pakistan, China, Singapore and Malaysia, according to the record.

Both Jang and Kim visited Islamabad and Karachi in Pakistan at least 28 times between December 2012 and October 2015, according to Pakistan.

Jang and Kim are also economics and trade officers at the North Korean embassy in Tehran, Iran. Two other North Koreans, affiliated with KOMID, have been active in China, Uganda and Egypt.

According to the U.N. report, the North continues to export equipment related to ballistic missiles to the Middle East and has conducted arms deals in Africa.

The report comes at a time when Washington is planning to enforce more sanctions against Pyongyang.

Speaking at the State Department on Monday, President Barack Obama said more pressure would be added against North Korea, South Korean television network SBS reported.